


What Dreams May Come

by Waterfall58



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Episode: s02e15 Journey to Babel, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pre-Slash or Slash - Whatever Makes You Happiest, Written quickly, in my opinion, the way the episode should have ended
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:47:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27783982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Waterfall58/pseuds/Waterfall58
Summary: Amanda can't sleep and wanders back to Sickbay.  She gets a first-hand look at the relationship between her son and his captain... or does she?
Relationships: James T. Kirk/Spock
Kudos: 34





	What Dreams May Come

**Author's Note:**

> One of the greatest things about watching The Original Series is catching new moments between Kirk and Spock I never noticed before. Of all the times I watched this episode, I never paid attention to Kirk in the background as he enters Sickbay in the final scene. For the first time, I saw the smile sweep across Kirk's face when he first sees Spock and knows that he's OK. The scene/perspective cut quickly at that point, but I think I saw Kirk reach out his hand toward the end of Spock's bed. That eye-blink moment inspired this quick little tag to the episode. Please excuse all errors.

Amanda couldn't sleep.

For nearly an hour, she tried Vulcan meditation and then the Earth method of counting sheep. Both were ineffective as a relaxation method. She sat up in frustration, took a deep breath and allowed herself to fall back naturally into the bed. For a few minutes, the unforced position felt comfortable and cozy. Her lips smiled in satisfaction.

Ten minutes later, she was dressed and looking at herself in the mirror. Despite Dr. McCoy's assurances that both her husband and son were out of danger, Amanda realized she wasn't going to sleep unless she checked on them one more time. She rewound her head scarf, trying not to peer too closely at her red, tired eyes. Her eyes fluttered closed and for a moment, she rested her head on her arms.

With a soft sigh, she straightened. She would pay dearly with neck and back pain if she allowed herself to fall asleep at her dressing table. With a final scarf adjustment, she nodded at herself in the mirror and headed toward Sickbay.

It was 0200 Terran time. The Enterprise hallways were quiet and dim. Amanda realized she was tiptoeing and shook her head at this illogical behavior. A pretty crewman approached her. Her greeting to Amanda was quiet and cheerful.

Amanda responded in kind and denied requiring any assistance. She smiled after the retreating young woman. Surely, there were a number of pretty – probably even beautiful - women on the Enterprise. Had any of them caught her son's attention, if not by her looks, then perhaps by her intelligence? Surely, there had to be someone by now that intrigued Spock at some level. After that debacle with T'Pring, her son deserved a woman that would fully appreciate all he had to offer.

In many ways, her son was more inscrutable to her than her husband. She knew Spock would never voluntarily share his hopes, dreams or fears with her. She ruthlessly surpressed the pang this caused her. It was useless to have regrets or assign fault to either side. Neither would change the tenuous relationship she had with her son. She suspected that her recent behavior on the starship probably further strained their bond.

Amanda entered Sickbay via the back entrance Dr. McCoy had shown her. To allow Sarek more privacy and quiet, his bed had been moved to the rear of Sickbay. She glided carefully to her husband's side. She knew her husband would never fake slumber for her comfort; it was simply not his way. She found him deeply asleep, perhaps even in a healing trance. A relieved sigh escaped her.

A soft chuckle brought her head up sharply.

She could not see any of other beds around the sweeping curve of Sickbay. Who was possibly up and laughing at two in the morning? Was the person interfering with her son's rest? Would that person see her and later tease Spock about being checked-up on by his mother? Sarek had already chastised her for embarrassing Spock in front of Dr. McCoy, so she did not want to add to the injury.

Tiptoeing once again, Amanda cautiously peered around the corner. A soft overhead light illuminated her son and his captain. Spock's bed was raised to its full upright position, Kirk perched on the bed at Spock's hip. They were looking at a computer screen, their faces turned away from her.

Amanda's hand rose unconsciously to her throat. She was uncertain why the scene held an undeniable sense of intimacy. If she sat in such a manner on Spock's bed, so physically close to him, she knew her son would be stiff and embarrassed. Spock looked … comfortable.

Kirk murmured something. Spock's head turned back to look at his captain. Amanda's fingers clutched tightly onto her scarf. Her son's expression was as open as she had ever seen it.

Kirk chuckled again, that deep timbre she had heard just moments ago. Spock's eyebrow rose and the edges of his lips curved upwards. It was the most significant smile she had seen on his face since he left for Starfleet.

Amanda's mind whirled with astonishment and confusion. This was a disaster! Anger followed swiftly. Her son and husband finally seemed on the road to mutual cordiality and now this! Was her son deliberately encouraging a relationship he knew his father would not support? Was this simply another form of rebellion? She had experienced waves of guilt for striking her son earlier, but now she thought she could do so again without regret.

She was unsure how long she stood watching them. That the two men had a close relationship was undeniable. Their dialogue was fluid, punctuated with more of Kirk's soft laughter and eyebrow raises from Spock. More and more of their conversation became audible to her.

“That constitutes an illegal move, Jim,” she heard her son say.

Jim? He addresses his captain as Jim? This kept getting worse and worse! And when did her son become so tolerant of cheating? As a young boy, he once glared at her for over an hour when she accidentally played out of turn during one of his favorite Vulcan games.

“Spock,” Kirk purred. “You wouldn't accuse your captain of cheating, would you?”

“I believe I just did.”

That chuckle again! Amanda could see more of Kirk's profile than before. Her head cocked in surprise. Kirk's expression was actually somewhat... adoring. He had worn a similar expression when speaking with the pretty Byfigy ambassador. There was no doubt: Kirk was flirting with her son!

 _Oh, Spock_ , she thought mournfully. _Have you actually fallen victim to the legendary Kirk charm?_

Kirk shook his head in mock reproof. “Let me show you, my logical friend,” Kirk said. He reached forward, pointing at the screen. Kirk's back arched suddenly and a strangled moan escaped him.

“Jim? Do you require the nurse?” Spock asked sharply, his hand curling protectively over Kirk's elbow.

“No, no,” Kirk gasped out. “My back. A spasm.”

“I can assist - may I?” Spock asked raising his other hand tentatively.

Amanda wondered if Kirk knew what Spock was offering, since he immediately nodded. “Go ahead,” Kirk gritted out between clenched teeth.

Amanda watched her son place his hands on his captain's back, quickly finding the muscles needing release and facilitating improved blood flow. Kirk moaned repeatedly, in what Amanda considered an almost obscene manner.

“Your hands,” Kirk gasped breathlessly, “always so ...good...oooh … Spock … keep …”

Amanda watched as Kirk leaned further and further forward, waiting for the moment Kirk's head would fall onto her son's shoulder.

Plop! There it went.

“Spock,” Kirk mumbled, “oooh, thank … sleep, aaah ….stay here.” The scene froze with Kirk leaning heavily on his first office's shoulder. Spock's hands were still.

Amanda didn't even realize she was holding her breath. _He's cradling Kirk_ , she thought, _as if he were the most fragile, precious being in the world. Oh, my son, where is your precious logic now? He's only going to break your heart._

She didn't think she could be any more surprised, but she was electrified when Kirk's hand moved slowly up Spock's arm to rest against her son's neck. Kirk's hand gently brushed through Spock's hair and slipped down slowly to her son's shoulder. One of them – she wasn't sure which - released a contented hum. This isn't the first time they've sat curled together like this, Amanda thought in amazement. It's too … peaceful and natural.

She expected her son to eventually wake his captain and lead him back to bed. Instead, Spock maneuvered carefully to his feet and gently laid Kirk onto his own biobed. Spock reached up to the monitor, perhaps altering it for human bioreadings. He draped a blanket over the softly snoring form, his hands resting on the blanket for longer than Amanda deemed necessary. It was as if her son didn't want to break physical contact with his captain.

Spock's hands suddenly snapped back to his side. He settled on what had been Kirk's biobed. The room darkened.

Amanda barely glanced at her husband as she hurried back to to her quarters. How was she going to explain to Sarek that her son had fallen for a man whose female conquests stretched across multiple galaxies? Where was the logic in Spock's choice of a mate? How could she ever hope to convince Sarek that Kirk's affections wouldn't stray, when she hardly believed it herself?

She would never fall asleep now.

And yet, she did.

She awoke the next morning, seated at her dresser mirror, her head cradled on her arms. She sat up gingerly, her body's soreness suggesting she had slept in that position all night long. In confusion, she looked around her quarters, trying to remember how she ended up sleeping at the desk. She remembered being unable to sleep, getting dressed, and sitting down to reset her hair and turban. Had she actually fallen asleep in this spot? Her pulse jumped: had she simply dreamed the entire Sickbay events?

She replicated a quick breakfast and eagerly returned to Sickbay. Her husband was still in a healing trance. She carefully peeked around the curved wall. Her son and his captain were back in their original beds.

“Those were some good drugs, Bones. I slept like a log,” she heard Kirk say cheerfully. “I didn't even get up to use the head.”

Amanda stared incredulously, her tension headache easing into blissful calm. She closed her eyes in relief, thus completely missing the slow, sly wink Kirk gave her son.

**Author's Note:**

> Sunshineniveh wrote my favorite version of the events contained in the "Journey to Babel" episode. It's spot-on from beginning to end. Mine is a brief episode tag to release some of the angst this episode gives me. I thought both Sarek and Amanda were horrible to Spock. I completely understood why he didn't visit them in years! It seemed fitting that Kirk was the only person that truly showed Spock support and affection - and ungrudgingly risked his life doing so. His actions stood in stark contrast to Sarek's indifference and Amanda's threats. Spock certainly deserved a cuddle at the end of that episode!. I was happy to give it to him!


End file.
